Maryland runs away in Super 44

Strong defensive effort halts Va. All-Stars, 31-10

Terps recruit Kelley hurt

High School Football

July 02, 2000|By Lem Satterfield | Lem Satterfield,SUN STAFF

FAIRFAX, Va. - Derek Wake of DeMatha earned Most Valuable Player honors with three sacks and a fumble recovery, and reserve quarterback DuJuan Crockett of Potomac led Maryland offensively in a 31-10 rout of Northern Virginia in last night's Super 44 All-Star Football Game before 6,832 at W.T. Woodson's stadium.

Crockett replaced University of Maryland-bound Chris Kelley, who left the game with a possible torn anterior cruciate ligament to his left knee in the first quarter. Crockett completed 10 of 17 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown to Potomac's Glen Thomas.

Severn's Joe Salsich, Hereford's C. J. Feldheim, McDonogh's Eric King and Wake, who is bound for Penn State, led Maryland's defense as the series was evened at four wins apiece. And DeMatha's Patrick King kicked a 39-yard field goal and four extra points.

Salsich (6 feet 4, 240 pounds) had two sacks and a fumble recovery. Feldheim (6-4, 235) contributed with a sack, a fumble recovery and a tackle for a loss, and King broke up several passes, had a tackle for a loss and an electrifying 65-yard interception return to Virginia's 6 in the second half.

"I wanted to score a touchdown very badly, but I'm happy to be in a game like this. It is the best thing that could have happened to me," said King, who caught his interception with his back to Maryland's goal, turned and nearly beat a final defender before being tackled.

Salsich, who will be joined by King at Wake Forest, "wanted to prove myself being from a small school. It took me a while to get going in this game, but I was able to step it up a couple of notches in the second half. I wanted to prove everybody wrong, and was able to get a couple of sacks later on."

Feldheim, headed for Maryland, surprised himself coming off his second knee surgery on April 4 to repair a broken right fibia suffered late last fall. "Coming off that injury that fast, I had to prove myself all over again," he said. "It was a thrill even being considered among the best with all these guys."

Maryland led 14-0 with 5:24 left in the first period after Kelley completed passes of 87 and 59 yards to LeVar Scott, long plays that set up short scoring runs by Jay Colbert and Marcus Whalen.

But Kelley had to be assisted off the field shortly before the second period and later said he had sprained his knee after being tackled on an 8-yard run.

"I heard a pop when a guy grabbed my leg, and I spun to get away," said Kelley, who is considered the Terps' top incoming recruit after winning three state championships at Seneca Valley.

Kelley plans to get a magnetic resonance imaging today. "The trainers said it might be a tear, but I'm thinking it is a sprain," he said.

Maryland's offense slowed noticeably after Kelley left, enabling Virginia to pull within 14-7 with 5:47 left in the half on Jerry Harris' 27-yard scoring reception, which was set up by Brandon Royster's 19-yard run on a fake punt.

Crockett found Thomas on the end of a 33-yard pass that set up King's 39-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead 13.7 seconds before halftime.

DeMatha's Mikal Baqee opened the second half with a 23-yard interception return that set up Crockett's 9-yard scoring pass to Thomas, increasing the margin to 24-7. Mount St. Joseph's Rob Abiamiri's 29-yard reception set up Maryland's final score, a 17-yard run by Gonzie Gray.